The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-12-31
LODGE OF CHINESE MAsoNs.
A Native Organization not Allied Direct
~ to the Well known +. A. II.


~ to the Well known +. A. II.
Old Masons we're until late Of the opln.
ion that no such a thing rs a Chinese
Mason existed. One gentleman said he
had seen Arabs and Turks who were good
Masons, but, to the best OF his knowledge,
no Chinaman was in the order. Never.
theless, there are not only Chinese Ma
sons, but right here in New York there Is
a Chinese Masonic lodge IN full blast
with a membership OF over 300. Il is q
native organization, not allied directly to
the Free and Accepted Masous, but said
to be founded on principles very nearly
akin.
The lodge room IS az No - MOtt street.
second floor, front, and has recently been
remcdeled and redtted inyery good shar0,
all newly painted and cleaned. Tie lodge
furniture Is Of Chinese design. aud i'm
ported from China expressly for the sos
ciety at u great expense. A tall flagstaff.
with q rope for running up cOiOrs, is on
top Of the building. Above the door as
one enters the lodge room is q red sign in
native characters s!gnitying "Chinese Ma
sonic society, - and down the sides are
two long slips Of red paper bearing mot.
toes. One OF these t.. do good 20 ono
another aud the other rela,cs 60 the
business Of the order.
The interior Is Ike most Chinese quar.
ters, only lighter, aud not fgll of odd
turns and unsuspected corners. lmmedi-
ately Oh entering, IS led into q sort Of
ante room aud thence into the moia or
lodge room. At the lower end Of This
room Is the altar, and q very valuable ono
it IS, costing In China 81. 500. Above it IS
al alcOve IN which q cOlOred drawing i
suspended. 1t is not the least Gun 0u8
thing In the place, the design being furoe
figures, n seated, and two others BEND
ing over his shoulder The seated figure
represents the venerable father OF Chinese
Masonry. The face is heavy, placid, and
adorned with q long black beard The
other TWO are respectively the spirits OF
light and darkness, who are supposed %
be giving him counsel Ia front Of the
altar a lamp IS hung. It is never cXtin-
guished, and burns in commemoration of
the dead Of the order. Another emblem
is two sticks of sandal wood punk thrust
into a box Of sand. They keep smoldcr-
ing away and Oil the air with a faint bat
sweet perfume.
On tn. wall is a long board and on this
are pasted a great number Of sheets Of pa
per covered with Chinese hieroglyphics.
These are the lists Of members voted on Ia
the New York lodge. Near the roster
hang two books. Ore of these is sent out
from the Supreme ledge at san Francisco,
and gives a detailed account Of a number
OF cases Of those ia distress and sickness
and the Whereabouts OF each one who
needs help. The other is a subscription
book in which the various amounts SUBJ
scribed are entered. At intervals these
two books and the amount raised are
transmitted 10 the Supreme lodge, from
which the dependent members are re
lieved.
Meetings are not held upon regular
nights, but at intervals decided upon by
the dignitaries Of the order, as the ncces-
stiles Of business may demand. The mem
bers are notified Of meetings, held gcucr-
ally on Sunday nights, by the appearance
Of a triangular flag at the top Of the pole
on top OF the house. The flag is white
and bears the picture Of a huge red dragon
with its tail toward the point. There are
grips, signs and passwords exactly rs ID
an American lodge. THE travelling card
Of this society is quite a curiosity in IT.
self. Il is a square Of red silk inscribed
with Chinese characters, and is a dOcu-
ment highly priced by all its possessors.-
New York World.